The Order's Thief
by reviewgirl911
Summary: Kayla Bishop (my version of Kat), daughter of big-time thieves, has done everything she could to distance herself from her family and their business. She quits the business and joins the Order of the Phoenix. Her plans are interrupted by the presence of Harry 'Hale' Potter: her former best friend and the boy she left behind. Fuller summary inside!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey! Yes, I know I have other things to update, but I've been dying to post a couple new things I've been working on. Don't expect fast updates on them though. In case you didn't know, I am a huge Ally Carter fan. I love both Heist Society and Gallaghers, and I wanted to do something like Heist Society in the Harry Potter realm. I'm putting this under crossover because I am taking a lot of Heist Society's plot and some of the character structure, but there will be magic and other differences from Ally Carter's book. Hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own Heist Society or Harry Potter. What a lucky girl I would be though.**

**Summary: Kayla Bishop, the daughter of big-time thieves, has done everything she could to distance herself from her family and their business. After graduation, she quits the buisness and joins the Order of the Phoenix, throwing herself into the fight against Voldemort and presenting the perfect hardworking Hufflepuff image people expect. Her plans are interrupted by the presence of Harry 'Hale' Potter: the enigmatic middle Potter child, her former best friend, and the boy she left behind. Delivering a message from her uncle, Hale is determined to bring her back to the world he knows she belongs to. Will Kayla rejoin the family business for good, or her loyalties lie in her new life?  
**

Kayla Bishop tapped her fingers lazily on the table, listening half-heartedly to the Order meeting. She was glad she had joined and could contribute to something good, but the meetings were sometimes dry and boring (so unlike the "family remembers she remembered).

She looked around the room. Moody was looking around suspiciously while Kingsley seemed relaxed and listening attentively. To no one's surprise, Tonks was sitting very close to Remus, who was blushing. Sirius was unsuccessfully trying to flirt with Emmeline Vance, his efforts causing James Potter to choke back chuckles. Severus Snape was in a bad mood as per usual, though he occasionally glanced over at Lily Potter, who studiously ignored him while listening to Dumbledore. The older Potter sibling, Keegan, listened with rapid interest, proving exactly why he had been sorted into Ravenclaw. The youngest Potter, Logan, just looked bored sitting next to his fellow Gryffindor and best friend, Neville Longbottom, known as the Boy-Who-Lived.

Kayla catalogued every small detail, every quirk, of the people sitting at the table. If she wanted to, she could steal their wallets, watches, and wands, and they'd be none the wiser. _But you won't_, she reminded herself. _You left that all behind._ She had wanted a new life, a different life, and that's what she had.

Tuning back in, Dumbledore was about to end the meeting when he spotted something and smiled. Everyone turned around to see Harry "Hale" Potter, the middle Potter child, standing in the doorway.

Kayla felt her heart skip a bit. She hadn't seen Hale since Hogwarts graduation three years ago, when she decided to leave the family business and all that came with it. Including him. He looked good, really good. He was tan, his black hair still as messy as ever and infinitely appealing, a hint of stubble on his face. He was dressed as usual: black t-shirt, grey cargo pants, black leather jacket, and black combat books. It was rare he ever switched up that combo. For a Hufflepuff, Harry really did like his black.

Lily and James looked excited to see their middle son. They'd fought with Hale after his graduation, trying to convince him to join the Order. He had refused, and they hadn't really been talking since. All the Potters heard about him came through secondhand sources, and it was mostly information about his career. Truthfully, Lily and James had never understood their Hufflepuff son who seemed to be lacking loyalty. Kayla understood perfectly fine. He just wasn't loyal to them.

"Ah, Harry, my boy, please come in," Dumbledore said, still smiling like he was someone's old grandfather.

Hale's eyes revealed nothing, though there was a hint of annoyance on his face at being called his real name. Hale hated his name. "Good evening, Headmaster," he said respectfully. "May I speak with Kayla for a moment?"

Kayla couldn't help but snort. "I haven't seen or heard from you in three years, and now you want to talk?" she asked incredulously.

Hale's gaze was cool. "If I remember correctly, that was your choice," he replied back. "You left us, remember?"

Her face red, Kayla stood her ground. "Whatever you want to say to me, you can say in front of them," she insisted.

Hale shrugged, seemingly not bothered. "Fine," he said. "Your uncle sent me with a message for you."

Kayla laughed. "You're delivering messages for Uncle Shay now?" Hale and her uncle liked each other as much as Gryffindors liked Snape. Uncle Shay didn't trust outsides, and though Hale had adapted to their life and customs effortlessly, he would always be an outsider to the older man.

Hale smirked. "Shay and I do have different styles, but I thought this message worth delivering." His eyes were glowing intensely. "There's a job for you."

Everyone perked up. It was known the Vazzoli family, Kayla's mom's family, was skilled thieves, pulling off some of the most famous heists in history. It was rumored the Vazzolis were the single reason for some of the more extreme protections in Gringotts. Kayla's father, Anthony Bishop, had been a Muggleborn pickpocket who trailed her mother home one day. Shay Vazzoli had been mildly impressed at the least and let him stay. Anthony had fallen in love with Victoria Vazzoli, his great niece, and the rest was history.

Kayla let out a great old tired sigh. "Hale, I'm out of the family business."

Hale's emerald eyes bore into her. "Maybe," he said. "But are you out of the family?"

Kayla stared at him. "What are you talking about?" she demanded to know, far growing in her heart. She knew something was wrong. She didn't know how she knew, just that she did. She had gotten the same feeling when her mother had died, when she'd broken her arm, when Hale didn't answer immediately during their first heist in Morocco…

For a moment, Hale's masked slipped. He didn't look confident or cocky, just tired and worn and a little bit scared. The moment passed quickly. Kayla doubted anyone else caught it. "Tell him to give them back."

"What?" she asked, confused beyond belief.

Hale rolled his eyes. "That's Shay's message for your dad."

Kayla sighed. Hale had managed to do what she'd hoped he wouldn't: make her curious. "What happened?"

Hale hesitated, and Kayla's heart unexpected dropped when she realized he didn't know if he could trust her anymore. It hurt more than she thought it would, even after three years apart. She had never felt more ashamed sitting amongst Aurors.

"Hale, it's my dad. I need to know. "

He sighed, running his hands through his hair that so desperately need a haircut. "Fine, but I'm getting the crew. I'm only giving this spiel once." He turned to Dumbledore. "May I use your Floo?"

"Of course, Mr. Potter," the headmaster replied generously. Many looked surprised at his formal address of Hale, but he just gave a short nod and threw the Floo powder into the fireplace, calling out a name she was familiar with. Kayla knew this was a wise move on Dumbledore's part. Hale didn't like the man already. There was no need to add fuel to the fire by calling him by a name he hated.

A familiar face appeared, causing a pang in Kayla's heart. She hadn't seen her cousins, her uncle, her dad, any of her family, in over two years. Giving up the family business had unfortunately meant giving them up too.

"Hale!" the face exclaimed. "Sam was getting worried, but I told her, 'If Hale can manage not to die or get maimed in some of the most dangerous ruin sites in the world, then statistically he should be able to handle himself in London for a couple of hours."

Hale laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Silas. Can you get everyone here in half an hour?"

Kayla smiled as she saw Silas's head bob up and down. "You got it, captain." Silas's head left the fireplace, leaving the room quiet and uncomfortable. Some would think it was odd Hale seemed so out of place somewhere he'd been a million times before, but Kayla knew better. Hale had never felt like he fit into his family. He was just the Hufflepuff, the middle child, the one no one needed.

It didn't take long for the fireplace to flash, and two figures stepped out. A messy brown-haired boy with glasses sliding down his noses and the look of someone who got beat up a lot in school. The second person caught everyone's eye. Kayla knew she always did. Samantha Zabini stepped out of the fireplace, flipping her silky blond hair and scanning the room with her stunning blue eyes. Kayla, mousy brown-hair and grey eyed, had always felt plain next to her beautiful cousin. After all, most guys preferred girls who looked like supermodels, not ones who reminded them of their little sisters.

Sam walked towards Hale, her hips swaying like they were moving to music. He grinned. "Done with the show, Sam?" he quipped.

Sam pouted while Silas laughed. "So mean, Hale," she purred.

Hale smirked. "I try."

Sam rolled her eyes before turning around to face Kayla. "Hello, cousin," she said smoothly. "Miss me?"

Kayla resisted the eye-rolling that was a Vazzoli trait. "Hello, Samantha," she replied. "How's Auntie?"

Sam shrugged. "Married again. To a count, I think. Or a duke." She turned to Hale. "Which is better?"

Hale laughed. "A duke, though I'm sure both would have enough money to satisfy your mother."

Sam's eyes darkened, and Silas quickly changed the subject. "Where's Ellie?"

Hale and Sam both smiled. "Ellie's always late," they said in unison. As if on cue, the fireplace flashed, and Eleanor Vazzoli, more affectionately known as Ellie, stumbled out of it. Hale automatically moved to catch her, causing Sam and Silas to laugh.

"You'd think after almost twenty years of trying to use the Floo you'd actually be able to step out of without falling flat on your face," Sam quipped casually.

Ellie stuck her tongue out at Sam until she realized who had caught her. "Hale!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in enthusiastic hug. "I've missed you so much! How was Brazil? Did you find anything good? Everyone in Egypt asked about you. Sierra's still mad at you, but she'll get over it. What's going on? Where are Andruis and Hade?"

Logan Potter looked at Ellie in shock. "How does she talk so fast?"

Kayla smiled wryly. "Hufflepuff talent," she quoted with a laugh.

Hale smiled. "Damn straight," he replied.

"Where are Andruis and Hade?" Kayla couldn't help but ask.

"In prison," Sam replied cheerfully. Many Order members looked at her in surprise. "In Istanbul."

"For…?" Kayla prodded.

Same and Hale shared a look. "Sorry, cousin," Sam replied. "Can't say. I will say that it was a wild summer."

Hale cleared his throat. "Actually, I just paid Andruis and Hade's bail. They should be here any minute."

True to his word, the fireplace flashed yet again, and two people stepped out. The Weasley twins recognized the look of two people who cause as much trouble as they did.

"Hale!" Andruis proclaimed.

"Smashing to see you," Hade declared.

"Our fearless leader…"

"Who rescued us from the despair of Turkish prison."

"Cut it out, Wonder Twins," Sam sniped.

Andruis and Hade bowed deeply. "Yes, mistress," they replied in deep voices.

Silas rolled his eyes. Kayla looked over at Dumbledore. He seemed to be chuckling. Hale noticed this too, hiding his own smile.

Silas spoke up. "So what's all this about, Hale?"

Hale's eyes darkened. "Why don't we sit down?" Dumbledore suggested graciously.

The seating arrangements themselves said a lot. The Order all sat together, glancing suspiciously at the newcomers. Hale sat by Sam and Silas, ignoring the glances of his family. For some reason, this made Kayla infinitely sad.

Hale started talking. "Two weeks ago, a crew pulled a job in Venice. Nobody knows how many there were, but we do know they stole some of the most priceless magical artifacts in the world. The black market it just buzzing at the opportunity to get their hands on some of this stuff."

"Whose were they?" Silas asked, his famous brain scanning through possible owners. Even Kayla was scanning her minds for possibilities, though she'd never admit it.

"Antonio Taccone," Hale replied, his face solemn. Sam let out a small gasp while the others looked confused.

"Antonio Taccone?" James questioned, not familiar with the name. It wasn't surprising to Hale. Unless you were involved in the underground in some shape or form, Antonia Taccone was an unknown, a puppet master you didn't even know pulled the strings.

"He's one of Voldemort's financial backers. Very rich, very powerful in the underworld. Even Voldemort wouldn't dare mess up his dealings," he explained.

"What does he deal in?" Logan, ever the naïve youngest Potter, asked.

Sam started to speak, but Hale's voice was what was heard. "Evil," Hale answered seriously, an uncharacteristically somber look in his eyes. "Antonio Taccone deals in evil."

"What does this have to do with my dad?" Kayla asked, her brow furrowed.

"The list of people who could've pulled that job is short," Hale explained. "You'd need certain skills: cursebreaking, warding…"

"My dad is on the suspect list," Kayla guessed.

"Your dad is the suspect list," Hale corrected. "Taccone is out for his blood."

Sam's eyes widened. "And what did Uncle Shay say?"

Hale gave her a look. "What do you think he said?"

Sam sighed. "So what do we do?" It didn't escape anyone's notice that the group's eyes shifted to Hale. Kayla idly wondered when that had happened. Clearly, she'd missed a lot.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Hade said. "We steal that stuff back."

Hale pinched his nose and tried to hold back a sigh. "Yes, because we steal priceless magical artifacts every day from one of the most secure well-warded manors in the country."

"We have the best crew around," Andruis insisted, picking up his brother's argument. "Hade and I can distract anyone, you're a warding expert, Silas's smarter than Merlin, Sam can sweet talk just about anyone, and Ellie's sneaker than a fox."

Morale seemed to be growing, but Hale still looked reluctant. "Okay, three things to consider before you guys decide to do this job. First, there is nothing in it for anyone. Second, we only have two weeks starting two days ago to return the items to Taccone. Third, we do this without Shay's approval."

That gave everyone a chance to pause. Though the Order did not know who Shay was (for the most part), they could tell the rest of the crew was reluctant to do anything without his approval.

Sam gave Hale a look. He sighed. "He said that if I wanted to help Anthony it was my business, but he advised not to and to keep the rest of his family out of it."

"Then why are you here?" Kayla asked, stressing her words. Even after years of being his friend (and being in love with him), she was not any closer to understanding him.

Hale's eyes bore into hers, making her feel like they were the only two people in the room. "It's your dad," he replied. "Why wouldn't I be here?"

Kayla was stunned by his words, how effortlessly he said that. Three years, three years in which they had no contact, and he still cared that much? Sam's words right before graduation, when she had decided to leave the family, haunted her. "You don't know what you're wasting," her beautiful cousin had warned. Kayla had thought she was taking about her talents in thievery, her family, but now she realized Sam had meant Hale.

She was so enamored in her thoughts she didn't pick back up the rest of the conversation until Hale turned to everyone else and asked, "Who's in?"

"I'm in," Ellie immediately, surprising many in the room who expected Sam or one of the twins to volunteer first.

"Why is it that you and Hale are always the firs to volunteer for dangerous missions?" Silas asked theoretically.

"Because we're Hufflepuffs, and we don't let one of our own go into anything alone," Ellie answered smugly.

"We're both in," Hade and Andruis said simultaneously, eliciting many looks from Order members. 'Was it really possible there are another set of twins like Fred and George?' was the main concern on their minds.

"Statistically, this job is bound to fail, but I'm in anyway," Simon concluded.

"Thanks for the show of support, Silas," Hale teased. "I know how hard it is for you to go against data."

The crew's eyes shifted to Sam and Kayla, the only unconfirmed members. Sam raised an eyebrow. "I was in the moment Hale said Uncle Tony was in trouble," she replied.

Hale turned to look at Kayla, his emerald green eyes boring into hers. She wanted to say so many things: that she had left this life years ago, that her dad could solve his own problems, that this mission was impossible. That she was sorry it took something like this for her to see them all again. The only words that did leave her mouth were, "I'm in."


	2. Chapter 2

**Look, don't give me crap about updating anything. My mom's been sick and trying out various medications, school's hard, and I have too much worrying going on to be worried about my updates. Sorry! I've been working at my stories bit by bit when I can in school. I finally finished this chapter today. It starts off where the first one left off and ends with a revelation from Kayla. Next chapter will include a group heist meeting and a visit to both Uncle Shay and Kayla's dad. Stay tuned and enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Heist Society. I just mooch off both here. **

Kayla sighed, eyeing the team. She had just agreed to possibly the stupidest heist of her life, and yet she didn't feel nearly as disturbed as she should have. This was the family business, after all, and whether she liked it or not it was in her blood. "So what do we do now?"

Sam smirked. "Wow, you are rusty, cousin," she taunting, her sea-colored orbs gleaming with malice. Kayla gritted her teeth, trying not to let her cousin get under her skin. It wasn't working very well. More than anyone, Sam knew just what buttons to push.

Ellie frowned at her cousin. "Sam, be nice," she scolded. The unsaid words 'She might leave again' hung in the air loud enough for anyone actually listening for them. Honestly, Sam's words bothered her less than Ellie's coddling. Once upon a time, Sam could be brutally honest with her and Ellie wouldn't mind. Now, however, they were a fractured family, and Kayla was to be handled with care apparently. "She's family."

Sam narrowed her eyes. "I'm not the one who's forgotten," she accused. Kayla bit her lip. That one hurt more because of its truthfulness than its malice. In three years, she had not seen any of her family: not her uncle, not her cousins, not even her dad. She had left them with little more than a letter and a half-assed apology. Sam had a right to be bitter.

"Sam, that's enough," Hale interrupted his voice strong and steady. It was all coming back to her now, the things she had missed before. Hale's voice was always one of them. Hale, though never at the top of the Hogwarts hierarchy, had been well-liked amongst his classmates. He was good-looking, smart, and charming, but what really stood about Hale was that when he talked people listened. Kayla had always admired that about him. She never felt like anyone really heard her, especially these days.

"So where are these artifacts?" Silas questioned.

"No idea," Hale answered nonchalantly, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth. Kayla caught on immediately. He had a lead, but he also wanted to rile Silas up a little bit first.

It did the trick. "No clue?" Silas repeated incredulously, his eyes wide and darting all over the place. "Then how are we supposed to find them?"

Kayla, sparing the brains of the operation a heart attack, intervened. "There's a clue, isn't there?" she asked Hale.

He nodded. "A set of runes were left on the wall where the artifacts were kept. I'm guessing from what I've been able to translate from the photos sent to us that it's a series of directions."

"You haven't cracked it yet?" Ellie asked, her expression betraying her surprise. Kayla didn't blame her. According to various sources, Hale was one of the youngest Runes experts in the world, making his services sought after all over the globe. It sounded exactly like the kind of life he had always said he wanted, the one he had wanted to share with her. She hoped he was enjoying it.

Hale shook his head. "It's six feet long and in about ten different languages all jumbled together. I'm good, but I'm not that good."

Sam pursed her lips, clearly worried. "Can you crack it in time?"

"With some help, yes," Hale responded, sharing a look with Ellie. Kayla's forehead wrinkled. Ellie was at a lot of the same sites as Hale these days, but she was a curse breaker, not a Runes expert.

Ellie laughed. "Jolene's still mad at you, you know."

Hale smiled charmingly, shocking many in the Order to the uncanny resemblance to James Potter. "She won't be for long," he promised.

The big green monster rose up in Kayla's chest. "Who's Jolene?" she asked, trying to appear disinterested.

"A friend of mine in Egypt," Hale replied calmly, not giving out many details. That was how he always was with questions he didn't particularly want to answer.

Sam looked up from her nails, and Kayla knew she wouldn't pass up this opportunity to drive the knife in further. "Is that the girl who keeps your bed warm there? Don't you have one at every site?" she questioned, clearly knowing the answer. Hale gave her a look. "What? Are questions illegal now?" Her eyes flinted over to Kayla for a second.

Lily Potter appeared outraged while James gave his son a discreet thumb up. Sirius Black could be heard exclaiming, "That's my godson." Keegan and Logan both seemed unsure of what to think of their brother's arrangement. Keegan had been in an extremely committed relationship with his girlfriend since 5th year, and while Logan had played the field, he had never had such a causal relationship as was being implied.

Ignoring Sam and the now buzzing speculation about his love life, Hale addressed Silas. "I need you to identify all seven pieces in the collection," he said, handing Silas something Kayla recognized as a flash drive, an item foreign to most wizards. "Consult Professor Stein if you need to."

"Professor Stein?" Kayla repeated, remembering a kind face from her childhood and hot chocolate cooled down by snow.

Hale nodded. "He's a good man," he said. "We have coffee sometimes, and he helps us when he can."

Kayla couldn't help but throw a little dug at that. She wanted to get some kind of reaction, anything, out of him. He had been too calm, too professional, so far for her tastes. "An art professor assists art thieves?"

Hale's eyes held an angry glint, one familiar to her, and she mentally crowed victory. "Unlike some people," he stressed, his voice low and dangerous, "he understands that there are grey areas between right and wrong." Kayla had no doubt Hale wasn't just talking about stealing art as his eyes flashed over to his family. Hale's increasing closeness to the Vazzoli had been a sore spot with his parents, and when James brought up their lifestyle, Hale asked if it was any different than the Aurors getting extra compensation for valuable dark artifacts collected during raids. That had been the one and only time James Potter had raised a hand to his son, but it had completely destroyed their relationship. Kayla remembered Hale sitting in her uncle's kitchen that night, looking more lost and vulnerable than she'd ever seen him. For once, Uncle Shay actually said something kind to Hale. "You deserve better than that man, kid," her uncle had said.

The tension in the room was palatable. Hale turned to Sam. "Stock up on supplies. We'll need all the usual stuff and whatever else you think would be useful." He gave a warning look to Hade and Andruis. "Easy on the explosives, guys."

Hade gave out an obnoxious fake cry, flaying his arms, while Andruis got on his eyes and started to plead like a beggar, proclaiming, "Hale, oh, Hale, why have you forsaken us?" To make matters worse, the Weasley twins looked like they were considering joining the protests.

Hale held up his hands. "I said easy on the explosives. I didn't say no explosives."

Hade sighed loudly, exaggerating his relief. Andruis got on his hands and knees and pretended to kiss Hale's feet. Hale rolled his eyes. "Get out of here," he ordered.

"Yes boss," they chirped unanimously, getting up and stepping into the Floo. Silas and Sam followed, leaving only Ellie lingering.

"See you at Shay's?" Hale nodded. "Okay then. Good luck with Jolene," she teased much with a smile, winking as she stepped into the fireplace.

"Don't need luck," Hale replied. "I have charm on my side." You could hear Ellie laughing as she Flooed away.

Suddenly, the room felt much stiffer, and Kayla vaguely wondered if it felt this way all the time. Trying to ease the tension, she quipped, "You have charm?"

Hale smirked. "A lot changes in three years. I acquired charm, Silas got another degree of something I can't spell, Andruis and Hade have been to Swedish prison at least a dozen times, and Ellie broke up with at least five douchebags." He glanced at her for a moment. "Not that you'd know any of that, of course."

Kayla swallowed back her guilt and sorrow, reminding herself of the very valid reasons she had left everything behind. "That's not fair," she stated softly.

Hale smiled sadly. "No, it isn't, is it?" For a moment, Kayla realized what she had put him through. Graduation night, he'd told her he loved her, a feeling she'd reciprocated because Merlin it was true, more than anything else in her life. But Kayla had wanted more than love; she had wanted a whole life, and so after a completely perfect night she would never and could never regret, she left him and her family with little more than a goodbye note. The blow was probably harder on him than her family, she realized now, because Sam knew what she was doing and Ellie probably suspected, which meant everyone else knew, but Hale was completely blindsided. She hadn't bothered to write even one letter to him in three years.

Before she could say anything to explain or alleviate her guilt or even make Hale smile again, he shut down on her. "Headmaster, may I use your Floo once more?" Hale asked politely but with no emotion,

Before Dumbledore could say anything, Lily Potter answered, "Only if you stay for dinner." Hale started to protest, stating things he needed to do and people he needed to see. Lilly held out a hand. "We haven't seen you in three years, and there's enough food in the kitchen to feed an army. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

Mother and son scared at each other, emerald eyes meeting emerald eyes. Finally, Hale nodded. "Fine," he agreed grudgingly, causing Lily to smile. Kayla suspected it wasn't the reaction his mother had hoped for, but she also knew that Hale was being more polite than usual as it was. Asking for much more would be pushing it.

Dinner was fairly pleasant. The Weasleys stayed as well, and Bill, who had heard of Hale from friends still working in Egypt, asked about the sites Hale had been to. Though he had given up the dangerous curse-breaking jobs to work full-time for Gringotts, Bill still revealed in the stories. Hale told story after story of his travels, amusing anecdotes that left everyone laughing. Eventually, the laughter died down.

"Are you based in Egypt?" Bill's wife Fleur asked, her French accent lingering, as she took a sip of her wine.

Hale shook his head. "No," he answered. "I mean, I have friends at those sites, and I consult there frequently, but I'm kind of a wanderer right now. I go wherever the best job is."

Molly Weasley clucked. "Don't you want to have a stable home? Don't you want to be near your family?"

Kayla could tell Hale wanted to roll his eyes. "I like the travel," he replied. "I like waking up in one country and going to sleep in another. And I'm not lonely often." There was no mention of his family at all.

Kayla laughed to herself. Hale raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?" he asked, his emerald eyes skimming her face.

She shrugged. "Nothing. It's just that you always said in school that you were going to be a Runes master and have to travel the world because everyone would want your help. We all thought you were crazy sometimes, being so confident in those dreams." She looked at him, smiling slightly. "I'm glad you got everything you wanted."

Hale's eyes connected with hers, and Kayla felt a tingle go down her spine. "Not everything," he said quietly. He didn't look away until a small ringing sound filled the room. Hale's hand went into his pocket, pulling out a small cellphone. The Purebloods in the room looked mystified at the device.

"Potter," he said, answering the phone, "Hey! What? You did? Okay, I'll be there in five." Flipping the screen of his phone down, Hale turned to his mother. "Sorry, I have to go. Thanks for dinner." He headed towards the Floo, Lily anxiously standing in his way.

"Can't you stay for dessert?" she suggested.

Hale shook his head. "Silas has a lead. It's important." He stepped into the Floo, not sparing a glance for Kayla. She remained frozen in place for a while before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Lily's quietly sympathetic face.

Unsurprisingly, Sirius was the first one to speak up. "What was all that about? Harry was so… cold. It's not like him."

Kayla restrained from laughing. It was exactly like Hale to be cold to his family. At this point, the relationship between them and him was nonexistent. They hadn't respected the house he had been sorted into, his chosen profession, or his friends. He had hated his name, their house, and anything tying him back to the family besides his last name.

Lily's stare was growing uncomfortable on her. "I deserved it," Kayla admitted.

"Why?" questioned Keegan, ever the respectable Potter. "You were perfectly polite to him." He didn't know that was part of the problem. She had never needed to be polite to Hale before.

"I started it," Kayla said wearily, starting towards the door. It had been the longest day she could remember in the last year, and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed in her own apartment. "I broke his heart." She didn't stick around to see their reactions. As Hale would say, she was good at that.


End file.
